A Saskatoon singer with close musical ties to the Battlefords will be featured in a recital in this community July 8 prior to his trip to Ontario for a national level competition.
Tenor Spencer McKnight, accompanied by pianist Mark Turner, will perform during the Summer School of the Solo Voice, held annually in North Battleford.
While he presently lives in Saskatoon, he spent a year in the Battlefords after graduating from high school in his home town of Leroy. During that time, while staying with Henri and Elaine Poirer, he took his first year of university studies at North West Regional College and studied voice intensively with Summer School of the Solo Voice founder Lisa Hornung.
McKnight then moved to Saskatoon to continue university. He has just finished his third year in Public Administration/Political Science, he says, and is now taking time off from school to continue vocal studies.
McKnight has been singing since he was 17 years old.
"I began my studies with Dulcie Kirzinger, of Englefeld, and then went to Chris Kelly, of Saskatoon. I've sang with choirs such as St. Peter's Chorus as well as the Greystone Singers at the U of S. I was recommended to the Provincial Finals/Provincial Level of National Competition.
At the provincial level McKnight won the Goodfellow Memorial Grade A Male Voice Scholarship, Goodfellow Memorial Award for Senior Vocal Grade A Concert Group, Goodfellow Memorial Operatic Scholarship, Goodfellow Memorial Vocal Award and Chief Justice J.T. Brown Shield, and the Wallis Memorial Silver Award and Trophy (to the second place overall of the Grand Awards Competition).
He was also presented the Rose E. Schmalz Award to the vocal representative to the National Music Festival Competition in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont. Aug. 8 to 10.
At the Saskatoon Music Festival, he was the winner of the Kinsmen Award for Voice.
At the Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival, he was recommended to the provincial competition for Operatic Solo, Any Male Voice, Senior Open; Concert Group Grade A, Senior Open; Tenor Solo, Grade A; Oratorio/Sacred Aria, Any Male Voice.
McKnights's concert scheduled for Monday, July 8 will be held at the Third Avenue United Church in North Battleford at 7 p.m. Admission is free.
